secure my servant, and prevent him from riding off and raising an alarm.

These preparations might easily have been rendered fruitless, by my
refusing to accept the proposal of the lieutenant, but vanity gave me
other advice, and resentment made me desirous of avenging myself for such
detestable treachery.

Lieutenant N--- came, about noon, to dine with me as usual, was more
pensive and serious than I had ever observed him before, and left me at
four in the afternoon, after having made a promise to ride early next day
with him as far as Langfuhr. I observed my consent gave him great
pleasure, and my heart then pronounced sentence on the traitor. The
moment he had left me I went to the Russian resident, M. Scheerer, an
honest Swiss, related the whole conspiracy, and asked whether I might not
take six of the men under my command for my own personal defence. I told
him my plan, which he at first opposed; but seeing me obstinate, he
answered at last, "Do as you please; I must know nothing of the matter,
nor will I make myself responsible."

I immediately joined my soldiers, selected six men, and took them, while
it was dark, opposite the Prussian inn, hid them in the corn, with an
order to run to my help with their firelocks loaded the first discharge
they should hear, to seize all who should fall into their power, and only
to fire in case of resistance. I provided them with fire-arms, by
concealing them in the carriage which brought them to their hiding-place.

Notwithstanding all these precautions, I still thought it necessary to
prevent surprise, by informing myself what were the proceedings of my
enemies, lest my intelligence should have been false; and I learned from
my spies that, at four in the morning, the Prussian resident, Reimer, had
left the city with post horses.

I loaded mine and my servant's horse and pocket pistols, prepared my
Turkish sabre, and, in gratitude to the lieutenant's man, promised to
take him into my service, being convinced of his honesty.

The lieutenant cheerfully entered about six in the morning, expatiated on
the fineness of the weather, and jocosely told me I should be very kindly
received by the handsome landlady of Langfuhr.

I was soon ready; we mounted, and left the town, attended by our
servants. Some three hundred paces from the inn, my worthy friend
proposed that we should alight and let our servants lead the horses, that
we might enjoy the beauty of the morning. I con